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Chris Watts's Daughter Walked In on Him Murdering Her Mom, New Interview Reveals

byKaitlin StanfordMar 05, 2019

Photograph by Shanann Watts/Instagram

Late last week, news broke that the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had learned new details in the case of Chris Watts, who was found guilty in the fall of murdering his pregnant wife, Shan'ann, and their two daughters, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, in August 2018.

The CBI reportedly sat down with Watts on February 18, where he gave a lengthy confession from prison. Yet although more information is due to be released to the public Thursday, Steven Lambert, a lawyer for Shan'ann's family, sat down for a prerecorded taping of the "Dr. Phill"show (set to air Tuesday) and shared several of the tragic details that were learned.

Shan'ann allegedly learned of her husband's affair just moments before her death. In a clip of the "Dr. Phil" show obtained by People, Lambert shared that shortly after Shan'ann arrived home from a business trip in the early morning hours of August 13, she and Chris began fighting.

"In that fight, he essentially confessed to having an affair, that he wanted a divorce," said Lambert. "That it was pretty much over between them, and she had said something to the effect of, 'Well you're not going to see the kids again.'"

This news, according to Lambert, is what sent Watts over the edge, and "as a consequence of that conversation, he strangled her to death."

It's long been known that Watts strangled his wife and smothered his daughters before later disposing of their bodies in an oil field where he worked. But what hasn't been clear is the order of their deaths and the exact motive behind the killings.

Photograph by Shanann Watts/Instagram

Despite initially claiming that his wife and daughters had gone missing, the investigation quickly led authorities to zero in on Watts as a prime suspect — particularly after it was learned he was having an affair with a coworker. Since then, investigators believed that the motive behind the killings was because of Watt's desire to have a "fresh start" with his new mistress.

According to Lambert, Bella walked in on her father attacking Shan'ann and even witnessed him wrapping her mother in a sheet before asking, "What are you doing with Mommy?"

Moments later, CBS Denverreports, Bella pleaded for her life before her father killed her.

As news of the prison interview spread last week, Watts's father came forward to defend his son once more, despite not having the details himself.

"It's over and done with," Ronnie Watts told ABC News last week. "I am confused why they [the investigators] went out there in the first place."

Photograph by Shanann Watts/Instagram

According to ABC, Ronnie speaks with his son regularly but apparently knew nothing of the jailhouse interview before the news was leaked, and he still maintains his son's innocence.

"In my heart I know he didn't kill those girls," he insisted.

Audio recordings of the prison interview are set to be released to the public Thursday, which will likely reveal even more details.

According to People, a spokesperson for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation says that although the office plans to release more information on the case this week, authorities were "taken by surprise" by the "Dr. Phil" interview.

That interview, CBS Denver reports, will also be a two-part segment incorporating interviews with Sha'nann's parents, Frank and Sandy Rzuceks. Part 1 will air at 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, and Part 2 will be aired one week later, on Monday, March 11.